The inaugural Hunger Action Day Community Food Forum was held on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Chester County Food Bank (CCFB). The community gathering was sponsored by AQUA, An Essential Utilities Company, light fare was courtesy of the CCFB Community Kitchen, and spirits were provided by Victory Brewing Company and Harvest Ridge Winery.

With September marking Hunger Action Month, the Community Food Forum highlighted key strategies and initiatives across the county that aim to mobilize and educate the community to ensure equitable access to nutritious and familiar food. By coming together, everyone can work toward creating a food-secure Chester County where everyone has access to food that promotes health and well-being.

The event also announced the Chester County Food Alliance, a coalition of community partners that will work together to better leverage resources, develop unique partnerships, identify local needs, and find solutions to the root causes of food insecurity. Strategic goals and objectives of the Chester County Food Alliance include raising awareness and promoting policy changes; promoting housing attainability, multimodal transportation, and economic development; and improving community health outcomes.

“The Community Food Forum was a vital step in uniting our local partners, stakeholders, and community members to address the pressing issue of food insecurity,” said Nick Imbesi, MPA, Senior Manager of Advocacy and Government Relations for the Chester County Food Bank. “With the announcement of the Food Alliance, we built a collaborative network to strengthen our collective impact, advocate for policy changes, and promote sustainable solutions. Together, as a community, we will create a food-secure Chester County!”

To complement its inaugural Hunger Action Day Community Food Forum, the Food Bank also released its 2024 Impact Report. As Chester County’s leading voice on food security, CCFB conducted a follow-up to its 2018 Community Food Security Assessment this past year, revealing the evolving landscape of food accessibility across the county. Since then, the Food Bank has increased fresh food distribution from 55 to 70 percent, reflecting its commitment to ensuring access to nutritious food.

Additionally, the report highlighted how in its 15 years of serving the Chester County area, Food Bank Pantry visits have reached record levels, underscoring the critical need to provide nutritious and culturally familiar food and how neighbors increasingly rely on CCFB’s network as their primary food source. Specifically, 70 percent of what the CCFB distributed in FY24 was the “Core Four,” comprised of produce, eggs, milk, and meat.

To meet the ever-growing needs in the Chester County areas, the Food Bank has set forth the following strategic priorities: increase food distribution to 4.6+ million pounds, strengthen equitable food access through capacity building, and foster community engagement through education and wellness.

From its humble beginnings in 2009 of receiving 501c3 status and collecting and distributing food from a two-car garage in Parkesburg to now being a critical resource to community members who increasingly rely on the Food Bank’s network, the CCFB appreciates all donations and volunteer efforts. Chester County’s strength is its people, and the community’s generosity powers its mission to provide equitable access to familiar and nutritious food.

Learn more at Chester County Food Bank, the central hunger relief organization working with more than 100 consistent Community Partners in Chester County. Through its community network, CCFB distributes over 4.6 million pounds of food to our neighbors with limited or uncertain access to adequate food.